BOCA RATON, Fla. – The Florida Atlantic University football team dropped their first matchup at FAU Stadium in over two years, with Marshall snapping the Owls’ 12-game streak on Saturday night.
QuotableHagerty Family Head Football Coach Willie Taggart:
“It’s a tough loss for our football team. We didn’t play well in all three phases of the game and against a good football team. It’s disappointing because we had an opportunity to win the game and we didn’t take advantage of it. It’s a tough one. We got to get back together and find a way to get back into the win column.”
The Beginning
Marshall (6-3, 4-1 C-USA) scored on the opening kickoff, a 99-yard return, but FAU (5-4, 3-2 C-USA) immediately responded with a 75-yard drive of their own. The bulk came on a 33-yard run from Johnny Ford, and ended on a 27-yard wide-open connection from N’Kosi Perry to Brandon Robinson to knot things up. After a Romain Mungin interception – his second in as many games – and a 40-yard return, Aaron Shahriari nailed a career-long 37-yard field goal for the lead. Just into the second quarter, he surpassed that with a 38-yarder and a 13-7 lead.
The Turning Point
Marshall scored the next 14, on scores early and late in the second, taking an eight-point advantage into the locker room. The Owls were driving, looking to tie, but on the end of a 31-yard rushing gain, a fumble gave it back to Marshall, and three plays later, a 65-yard touchdown made it 28-13.
The Finish
From that last score (at 1:51 to go in the third) until deep into the fourth, neither team put points on the board. The Owls had had many deep balls that fell incomplete, until Willie Wright finally hauled in one for a 55-yard gain to the Marshall 20. But a sack on third down and incomplete pass on fourth gave it back to the Thundering Herd with 1:55 left.
After a three-and-out, the Owls got it back, but with just 41 seconds to go. They again moved into Marshall territory, but the comeback attempt ran out of time.
Stats and Records
- Ford rushed for an FAU-high 138 yards on just 13 carries, among the Owls’ 243 gained on the ground (compared to only 91 for Marshall, on 24 carries – 3.8 per)
- Robinson and Wester each had five catches, for 58 and 53 yards, respectively
- Wright led the receiving corps with 69 yards on two receptions
- Akileis Leroy had a team-best nine tackles, with Mungin next at seven and Jordan Helm with six
What’s Next
Next Saturday, the Owls will face Old Dominion in Norfolk, Virginia, and will be on the road the following weekend as well, at WKU. The last opportunity to see the Owls at home – in a game on STADIUM Network and Fox Sports 640AM South Florida – will be on Nov. 27, on Senior Day, against Middle Tennessee. To experience “Football in Paradise,” click HERE or call 1-866-FAU-OWLS.
